Resistance
by I'mAFirestarter
Summary: She is a farmers daughter, her brother is injured and a war is declared, what can a woman do about it, Prequel to Thor Thor/OC Inspired by Mulan
1. Prologue

**Svartálfaheimr**

"We have been waiting for far too long" Elves shouted out at Algrim. He held up his hand.

"This I know, by the wishes Malekith, we were told to wait." Algrim protested trying to make the men see the truth.

"Yes and what for? So the other realms can laugh at us? So the other elves can say we are weak?" They called out, wanting answers.

Algrim chuckled "Do not worry men; they will not say that we are weak for long." He inspected his sword and ran his thumb gently over the edge. "Not for long at all."

* * *

Lady Sif and The Warriors Three all marched into the large throne room, their armour shining in the light.

"My Lord Allfather." They bowed before their ruler. "There has been sight of Dark Elves crossing onto our southern farmlands. Burning, pillaging and destroying everything in their paths. Algrim is leading them." Whispers broke out in the room.

"Defences around the palace are being set up as we speak." Hogun spoke sounding grim. Odin stood in front of them.

"Good, send the army to protect the people." Thor moved forward.

"Fandral, you will gather men from the towns and villages and draft them into the army effective immediately. You must get as many new recruits as possible. We will put every weapon and soldier to use." Odin ordered.

"Father, I can defeat these Elves and send them back to Svartálfaheimr." Odin looked over at his eldest son.

"No, you will ready the army to fight should they even think of coming near the palace." Thor opened his mouth to protest but was silenced by a look from his father.

"Loki, you will gather up the sorcerers and form a barrier around the heart of the palace and the rooms of nobility, so even if the outer defences fall, the inner ones will not." Loki bowed, he held his tongue, knowing protesting would earn him a place on the front lines and he would prefer to remain on the side-lines.

"We cannot take any chances, a single arrow can tip the balance and one man could mean the difference between victory and defeat."


	2. Chapter 1

"Polite, Calm, Graceful, Quiet, Demure, Delicate yet Tough, Refined, Poised and…" Madeline trailed off, sitting on her bed eating a bread roll. The rooster outside her window suddenly announced the morning.

"Ahh, Punctual; that was it." Madeline snapped her fingers and wrote it on the palm of her hand. She was refreshing the list of properties a good wife should have, because later that day she had a meeting with the village matchmaker.

The Village Matchmaker was an elderly woman that still managed to instil fear into the bravest of men; she was scarier than the undertaker, and hard to please, so Madeline had her work cut out for her. Her head snapped up realising that she still had chores to do.

Whirling round her room she quickly dressed and pulled on her shoes. Her orange skirt moved around her feet. She rushed outside to open the gates to let the sheep graze and then she rushed over to the door.

"Oh shoot, the chickens." She remembered, knowing that she didn't have much time; she was late enough as it was, she saw the family dog and had an idea.

"Bud, Come here boy." She called to him and he came bounding over and knocked her back onto the dusty ground, she laughed as he licked her face, having always been overly fond of her. She sat up and tied a piece of branch to his neck, tied a piece of meat on the end and punctured a hole in the bag of corn.

"Who's the smartest dog in the world?" she asked in a baby voice as she let the piece of meat fall in front of Bud. As he wasn't the smartest dog in the world he ran forward trying to catch the meat and by doing so dragged the bag of corn behind him as he ran and as a result he fed the chickens. His barking startled the chickens but then they noticed the food in front of them and began to eat.

* * *

Madeline grinned and rushed over to the family ancestor room where her family often prayed for luck, guidance etc. her brother Bran was there kneeling in front of the headstones.

Maddie walked over to him with his medicine in hand, and heard his prayer.

"Honourable ancestors in Valhalla please help my sister to not make a fool of herself in the company of the matchmaker, help her to impress the matchmaker." Bud ran around the temple barking, still trying to catch the treat in front of him. He then barged into Maddie and nearly made her drop the expensive medicine, but by trying to hold on to the medicine she dropped the cup in was to go in. The crash made her brothers attention turn to her, she grinned and held up the spare cup from her pocket.

"I've got a spare." She smiled at her brother, Bran sighed.

"Maddie." He tried to protest.

"No, not this time, the healer says a cup in the morning and two at night." She smiled.

"Maddie?" Her brother looked over at her as he pulled himself up, his leg injury causing his movements to slow.

"What?" Maddie asked.

"You should already be in town. The Matchmaker? Have you forgotten?" Her brother asked. She made a face.

"How could I ever forget?" she said. "With you, mother and father reminding me, it would be impossible to forget." She grinned.

"Madeline, it is your duty…" Bran started.

"To uphold the family honour, I know Bran" Maddie smirked. "I won't let you down." She tried to pull her sleeve down to cover the writing on her palm. She turned and rushed down the pathway.

"Hurry, you should be there by now." Her brother called after her.

* * *

Madeline rode through the wreckage in town and slid off her horse.

"I'm here!" she called out grinning, looking at her mother. Her mother was once a beauty to behold with one of the kindest hearts in all of Asgard. And being the town officials' wife she still was, just a little more aged, with smile and laughter lines and a few streaks of grey in her hair. She had passed on her kind heart to her only daughter.

"You are late Madeline." Her tone of voice showed her annoyance. Maddie grinned.

"Oh come on Mother, I had to finish my chores." Maddie protested.

"No more excuses, love, now let's get you cleaned up and ready." Her mother sounded so excited towards the end of her sentence. Maddie groaned at the prospect. Her mother pushed her into the place where she would get ready.

The woman in there pursed her lips. "This is what you give me to work with? Well, Madam, I've seen worse." Maddie glared at the woman, who pushed her behind a screen and started to strip her down.

"Hey!" She protested as the woman shoved her into a tub of water, which was coincidentally freezing.

"This is freezing! It's like taking a bath in a lake." Maddies mother stared at her with a dangerous look in her eyes.

"And how would you know what that is like? And what on Asgard is that?" she asked and pointed to her daughters hand. Maddie kept quiet trying to not reveal anything else.

"Oh nonsense dear, it would have been warmer had you been here on time, we'll have you washed and dried, primped and polished till you glow." The woman poured oils all over her hair and rubbed it in and dug her nails into her scalp in the process. Maddie glared at her mother who was smirking at her daughter's sour look.

The woman who bathed her quickly pulled her out of the tub and dried her off; wrapping her in a piece of cloth she sent her off to the women would do her hair. They made quick work of drying Maddies hair. They put it up in what they called a fishtail braid and pinned it up around her head. Her mother came in just as the women started to speak to her.

"Men would gladly go to war for you sweet heart, with your great hairdo and will leave with love in their hearts." Maddie rolled her eyes knowing that they said that to all of the girls they saw. Her mother gave her a stern look as the woman who would do her makeup came in.

The woman did only a few things to Maddies face, which made her quite relieved as she hated feeling like she had a mask on. Her mother passed her, her fan and pulled out a piece of cloth from behind her back.

"Your grandmother gave this to me when I met the matchmaker, and she told me it would bring me luck, and I believe it brought me to your father and gave me your brother and you my love. So now I pass it to you, for luck and to hope it will give you the happiness it gave me." Maddie smiled at her mother, who then let the woman with her dress in to the room. The skirt of the dress was a dark orange and the top white. They quickly dressed her knowing they had little time. The dress slid over her hips and corset covered breasts. The woman tightened her corset a little more before doing up the dress, then they put a brown leather belt around her waist and stepped back to look at her. Maddie looked at them.

"What? Do I look ugly? I knew it, let's just go home and forget this ever happened." Maddie babbled out. Her mother smiled.

"No darling, you look wonderful, turn around." Maddie turned and looked in the mirror and saw somebody she didn't even think was her.

"Hurry now, quickly we mustn't be late. Her mother passed her a pearl necklace which Maddie put on and as quickly as her dress allowed her, caught up with the other girls. They all stood in a perfect line in front of the matchmaker's home, backs straight, shoulders down, head up, chest out and all the poise a well brought up girl should have.

"Madeline Rue." She called her name.

"Present." Maddie called out without really thinking about it.

"Speaking without permission." The matchmaker glared at her and turned back into her home.

"Oops" Maddie said putting her forehead in her hand, removing it she walked into the match makers house.


	3. Chapter 2

Thank you Kat229 – First Follower :)

* * *

"Huh, Hmm, too skinny." The matchmaker commented and huffed "Hmph, not good for bearing sons." Madeline was trying quite hard to ignore what the woman was saying, and was holding her tongue, lest she say what she was really thinking.

"Recite the final admonition." The wizened woman commanded. "Well..."

Fulfil your duties calmly and re..." Madeline looked down at her hand quickly "spectfully. Reflect before you act. This shall bring you honour and glory." Madeline fanned herself rapidly and sighed in relief

The Matchmaker snatched the fan from her hand and looked at it on both sides looking for notes, but did not find any. Maddie smiled big when Matchmaker looked back at her. She then grabbed her right hand and pulled her along while smearing the writing on Maddies hand and transferred some ink on her hand

"Hmmm, this way. Now, pour the tea." The matchmaker said as she pushed a teapot towards Maddie.

"To please your future in-laws you must demonstrate a sense of dignity." The Matchmaker smeared ink around her mouth. As Maddie stared at Matchmaker she poured some tea onto the table, quickly noticing her mistake she poured the tea into the cup

"And refinement. You must also be poised." Maddie noticed a bug in the tea-cup as the Matchmaker took the cup.

"Uhmm Pardon me?" Maddie asked quietly.

"And silent!" The Matchmaker scolded her sniffing the tea.

Maddie reached over the table to try and gently take back the cup "May I just quickly take…" She tried to take the cup but the matchmaker held on tightly. The cup then spilt the tea onto matchmakers dress and the bug went down the womans dress.

"Why you clumsy little…" The matchmaker then felt the bug down her dress and flailed around trying to get rid of it. Matchmaker knocks over her pot of coals, and sits down on the coals. Matchmaker jumps around screaming from the heat and shock. The matchmaker quickly grabbed Maddies fan trying to put it out.

"Uhmm that won't work." Maddie tried to say.

"Quiet!" the matchmaker shouted. But the fan only worsened the fire causing the womans behind to flame up. The matchmaker ran outside screaming.

"Put it out! Put it out! Put it out!" The woman screamed Maddie followed her out of the house wide eyed. Maddie then threw water on her to douse the fire. The fire was doused but the matchmaker looked furious.

"You are a disgrace!" The matchmaker threw the teapot in her hands down and smashed it to pieces.

"You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honour!" The matchmaker screamed at a shocked Maddie and her mother.

* * *

Later that day she was sat in her room, her hair pulled free, and her face scrubbed clean of all the paint the woman put on it. She was still in her dress from earlier. Tears were slowly running down her face.

"So I hear that a certain sister of mine set the matchmakers behind on fire." Maddie looked up and saw her brother standing in the doorway leaning heavily on the cane he had to use temporarily until his leg was fully healed. Maddie giggled through her tears.

"Hey, I reckon that crazy old bat is losing her mind anyway." Maddie smiled as her brother sat on her bed.

"There was a bug." Maddie whispered.

"What?" Her brother asked.

"In her tea, I saw a bug; I was just trying to get rid of the bug in her cup. And then the bug jumped down her dress and she knocked over the coals and fell on them, all the while trying to get rid of the bug. She grabbed my fan to try and stop it, I tried to tell her it would make it worse, but she didn't listen, so I did what you taught me and tried to put it out with water, but she turned around and it hit her in the face." Maddie explained, her brother laughed.

"Well at least you can say you made an impression." He said pulling in to his arms for a hug.

"Look at the flowers, dear sister." Bran said. Maddie looked out of the window.

"Yes, they are beautiful, but what is your point?" She asked.

"Look, this one's late. But, I'll bet that when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all." Maddie smiled at her brother. "You just need to bloom a little more, that is all."

"Oh Bran, only you could confuse me and make perfect sense at the same time." Maddie heard the beat of a drum from outside the house.

"What is that?" She asked as her brother stood.

"Stay here." Her brother commanded. He walked outside, but Maddie followed him. Looking outside the door and through the gathering of people she saw one of the castle messengers.

"Citizens I bring you a proclamation from the Imperial City: the Dark Elves have invaded Asgard!" The people gathered round broke out in whispers and gasps.

"By order of the Allfather, one man from every family must serve in the Royal Army." The messenger called out the names of the families. Maddie mostly ignored him until she heard her family name.

"The Rue Family." Her brother stepped forward.

"No!" Somebody shouted. It took a moment but Maddie realised the shout came from her.

"Hold her back." The messenger turned to Bran .

"You will do well to teach your sister to hold her tongue in a man's presence." The messenger said to Bran who nodded sharply and turned to walk away, Maddie noticed her brother was without his cane and was doing all he could to hide his injury. Her brother stared coldly at his sister as he walked back into the house.


	4. Chapter 3

That evening at dinner the air between the two siblings was cold and tense. They all ate in silence, just as their mother Adrienne was about to speak Maddie slammed her cup down.

"You shouldn't be going, Bran, you are injured, and there are far more able men out there to fight for Asgard." Maddie shouted.

"Maddie." Their mother said sounding shocked at her daughters' outburst.

"I thank you for your support sister." He brother said mockingly.

"Madeline, that is enough." Her mother said sounding sad.

"It is an honour to fight for my people." Her brother stated not meeting his mother or his sisters' eyes.

"So you will die for honour." Maddie spat out.

"I will die fighting for who I love." Her brother looked out of the window.

"You will die." Maddie began.

"I know my place, it's time you knew yours!" her brother shouted at her leaving his mother and sister shocked. Maddie stood and briskly walked away. She walked outside into the rainstorm and sank to the floor inside her ancestors' temple; she rested her head on her knees and let the tears of anger fall.

* * *

Maddie looked down at a puddle and saw her reflection. Through the window she saw her mother and brother arguing, and then her mother cry and her brother hold her tightly just a he had done.

Maddie looked up and the rain clouds.

"I know what my place is." She narrowed her eyes. She stood up and her image reflected off the stone tablets as she lit incense and placed it in the hanging incense holder. Maddie bowed to her ancestors.

Getting up, she hurried down the steps. Maddie made her way to her brother's bedroom and took the conscription notice, replacing it with the hair comb her mother gave to her. She turned back to look at her brother and rushed out. She then rushed over to the room where her brother kept his armour and opened the cabinet with the armour.

Using her brother's sword, Maddie cut her hair short and tied it up above her head the stray bits that were left over she pinned back she regretted cutting it instantly, her hair was her pride and joy, but sacrifices had to be made. Before she put on the armour she knew that should she go as she was, her breasts would be dead giveaway to who she really was so she changed into what she was wearing under the armour and then used the sword to tear strips of material wide enough to flatten her breasts and minimise her hips.

She finished putting on the armour and tied it in the front. She took the sword and placed it in the scabbard to her left. Maddie then went to the stable and stood in the doorway to the stable Penn, her horse, was in. Penn reared back in fright at the sight of Maddie dressed as a man. Maddie rushed forward and comforted Penn letting him know who she really was. Maddie walks Penn out of the stable. Maddie takes one sorrowful glance back at her home and rides Penn through the town gate and off to camp. She could hear her brother shouting after her, but squeezing her eyes shut she pushed on with her journey.

* * *

Maddie paced back and forth on the mountain near the camp

"Okay, okay, how 'bout this? Ahem." Maddie cleared her throat and faked a manly voice "Excuse me, where do I sign in? Hah, I see you have a sword. I have one too. They're very manly and tough" Maddie stopped and shook her head, even her horse seemed to think it was ridiculous, she glared at him.

"Oh hush Penn, I would like to see you do better." She let out a short laugh. "Oh wait you can talk." Maddie resumed her pacing.

"I'm working on it. Who am I fooling? It's going to take a miracle to get me into the army." Maddie looked down at the campsite and frowned.

"If they find out I'm a girl, the penalty is death, do I really want to do this?" Maddie asked herself. She shook her head.

"Who am I kidding? It's either me or Bran and he is as good as dead." Maddie walked into the camp. She saw men acting all kinds of disgusting all around her. She shuddered and walked away.

* * *

"Look this amulet will protect me from harm." Maddie saw a man brandishing what looked to be a counterfeit amulet that people claiming to be sorcerers sold, but were actually painted bits of scrap metal. One of the men near him punched him.

"Didn't protect you from that did it?" The man asked. The men around them laughed.

"Hope you can get your money back." A tall skinny man with an obnoxious laugh said through fits of laughter. Maddie watched their fight with wide eyes.

"I don't think I can do this." She said to herself preparing to run as fast as she could away from it all. Hel, she would rather face the matchmaker repeatedly. By her own clumsiness she then managed to start a fight, and found her feet to run.

Maddie ran into a tent and stops. The three soldiers ran after her and through the tent. The first stopped short as he nearly ran into a soldier in a line for food. He looked behind him with concerned eyes as the second soldier stopped in time. Then the biggest soldier bumped into the tall skinny one causing the entire line of soldiers to fall forward and then knock over the pot of food and the cook behind it. The men looked to the back of the line and spied Maddie emerging from the tent. They angrily started walking toward her. Maddie had a look of horror on her face as she prepares to run again.

The leaders of the army then walked out of the tent to see the soldiers in disarray and to see most of them fighting. Fandral who was now in charge of training the new recruits looked out on the men in horror at his task. He walked toward the men and whistled loudly.

"Soldiers" he called out. All of the men looked up at him.

"He started it." They all pointed at Maddie who was curled up with her hands covering her head. She looked out to see Fandral looking annoyed.

"Name?" he asked her.

"Ma…Bran Rue." Maddie almost said her name instead of her brothers. She lowered her tone to make her voice sound more masculine.

"Ahh the only son of the Farming Village Leader Finn Rue." The man by his side.

"That's me." Maddie tried to make it appear that she was taller than she seemed.

"Okay gentlemen, thanks to your new friend Bran, you'll spend tonight picking up every single grain of rice. And tomorrow, the real work begins." All of the recruits growled at Maddie as Fandral walked away.


	5. Chapter 4

Thank you to Oo Spider Clemti oO Angelvnzl and estops for following, and for reviewing

* * *

The next morning Maddie woke up as the sun rose, which was a first for her. She noticed that the other recruits were all standing in a line. She pulled her hair back and dressed as quickly as she could.

"Order people, order!" one of the trainers called out.

"I'd like a pan fried noodle." Somebody called out.

"Oh, oh, sweet and pungent shrimp" Ling and others began to laugh as Maddox salivated.

"That's not funny." The man said as Maddie came running up to the group

"Looks like our new friend slept in this morning." Maddie stopped between Ling and Vor "Hellooo Bran, are you hungry?" The skinny recruit asked.

"Yeah, 'cause I owe you a knuckle sandwich." Vor grabs Maddie by the shirt collar drawing back his other arm. Maddie hides her face with her hands. Ling looked away, closes his eyes, and put his over his ears so that he wouldn't hear anything

"Yeah." All of the other soldiers agreed with Vor.

"Soldiers!" The soldiers line up quickly. Fandral took off his over shirt and grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows. Maddie was duly impressed by Fandral's physique

"You will assemble swiftly and silently every morning." Fandral walked down the line of soldiers "Anyone who acts otherwise will answer to me."

"Ooooo, tough guy." Vor commented.

Fandral turning around with knocked arrow pointing it towards Vor.

"Vor." All recruits take a step back leaving Vor one step forward. Fandral pointed the arrow skyward and shot it into the top of a high pole.

"Thank you for volunteering. Retrieve the arrow." Vor bowed to Fandral, and cracked his knuckles.

"I'll get that arrow pretty boy. And I'll do it with my shirt on." Vor prepared to leap onto that pole.

"One moment, you seem to be missing something." A trainer brought out two large bronze disks. Fandral took out one of the disks and held it high whilst speaking to all the troops

"This represents discipline" Fandral hands the weight to Vor and the weight fell to the ground taking Vor's arm with it.

"And this represents strength" Fandral hands the other weight to Vor making him fall to the ground. The troops laugh while Maddie felt concerned.

"You need both to reach the arrow." Fandral leaned against a barrel to watch the recruits try to get the arrow.

One by one they all fell, most of them didn't make it 3 feet off the ground.

"Well, it looks like we have work to do. And a lot of it." Fandral commented. "So lets get down to business."

* * *

On the first day of training Ling put a bug down Maddie's back which caused her to move around erratically. Most of the soldiers fell as Maddie moved uncontrollably. Fandral did a somersault in the air and landed near Maddie. He took a pole in the stomach. Fandral then stopped Maddie and took her staff. He grabbed her by the collar and pushed her out of the group.

"Don't even think about it." Fandral walked away

That night they had arrow training, Maddox was running through a field of fire arrows as the other recruits wait their turn. Vor who was following Maddox fell and got hit in the backside with an arrow.

Many days later Fandral was practicing martial arts with Maddie. With a punch to the face he knocked her back into a tree.

"Hope he doesn't see right through me" Maddie thought as she walked back to train.

* * *

On water training Maddox stopped as he was hopping across poles protruding from water causing Fandral, Maddie, Vor, ling and the recruits to pile into him.

"Now I really wish that I knew how to swim!" Maddox said out loud.

Fandral marched his troops who were laden with poles on their shoulders carrying heavy bags of grain - one on each side as they marched up a mountain.

The other trainer pointed Fandral's eyes back to a struggling Maddie who had fallen to the ground. She tried to pick herself up but failed when Fandral came up to her. Fandral picked up her pole with grain, put it on top of his and returned back to the troops. Maddie looked over at them dejected.

That night after they returned Fandral handed Penn's reigns to Maddie "You don't belong here. So pack up, go home, you're through." He dismissed her. As she walked away Maddie looked up at the wooden pole.

"Hmm, if I can get that arrow, maybe he will let me stay." Maddie thought to herself. She walked over to the place where the bronze weights were kept. And grabbed a bow for when she got to the top.

She tied the weights to her wrists and tried for a few moments to climb the pole. But after falling on her backside numerous times, she was close to giving up when she got a brainwave.

"What if I use them to pull me up, instead of tying them to my wrists, use them as leverage." She then untied the weights and wrapped them around the large beam. Then she began to scale the beam.

* * *

When she was nearly at the top the other recruits began to exit their tents as the sun was rising. Maddie lost her grip near the top but recovered it quickly. Sweat dripped from her forehead as she pulled herself onto the top of the pole. Pulling the arrow out of the beam she notched it into the bow and shot it down to the ground, right in front of Fandral as he was exiting his tent. She rested her elbows on her knees and she looked down and smirked at the others.

Over the course of the next few days she only seemed to get better at being a soldier. Her strength increased, as did her accuracy and balance. Her speed picked up and her fighting skills greatly improved. Bo staff training was better too; her skills with the staff were surpassing the other recruits. But she would never say it out loud or they would probably punch her in the face.

She fought Fandral and as he went to hit her neck she ducked and swung her leg round and knocked him onto his back he rubbed his jaw and nodded at her.


	6. Chapter 5

"This is not a good idea. What if somebody sees you? But then again just because I have to look like a man doesn't mean I have to smell like one." Maddie said to herself as she bathed behind some reeds.

She then heard the sound of men walking towards the lake where she was, and started praying that they wouldn't notice her. Which thankfully they didn't but, unfortunately for her she got a glimpse of naked men. Causing her to turn away and grab her cloth to dry herself with from the back of her horse.

"Damn that was close; I never want to see a naked man ever again in my life." She said walking away shaking her head. But her wish was not fulfilled as the rest of the troops run past naked as the day they were born. Maddie stood still, her eyes were wide and she shuddered.

"I am never going to get that image out of my head."

* * *

Algrim surveyed the valley he was in from his position on the top of a tree. He had cut off the very top with his sword. His falcon swooped by and dropped a doll into his hand. Algrim takes the doll, sniffed it, looking surprised he dropped back down to the ground

Algrim tossed the doll to a fellow Elf "What do you see?"

"Dark pine, from the high mountains." His second in command said as he passed it round the group.

Another Dark elf took a hair from the doll as it passed by him "White horse hair. Royal army stallions."

"Sulphur, from cannons." Another elf said sniffing the doll

"This doll came from a village in the Dark Forest Pass, where the Royal Army will be waiting for us." Algrim said.

"We can avoid them easily." An archer said from behind the group.

Algrim shook his head "No, the quickest way to the Allfather is through that pass. Besides, the little girl will be missing her doll. We should return it to her." He smirked as his men bristled with anticipation.

* * *

As Maddie sat by her fire she made to cook some food for her the three men she had started a fight with came up to her.

"I know we were jerks to you before so let's start over. "Hi, I'm Ling!" He said extending his hand to shake hands with Maddie

Maddie turned and shook his hand with an outstretched right arm, smiling "Heh, Heh."

"And I'm Maddox." The tall overweight man said smiling nicely at her.

Maddie waved slightly and smiled "Hello Maddox."

Vor stood on top of a log looking down at the others "And I am Vor, king of the Log. And there's nothin' you girls can do about it."

Ling adopted a fighting stance "Oh, yeah? Well, I think Bran and I could take you." He said elbowing Maddie

"I really don't want to take him anywhere." Maddie said shifting in her seat.

"Bran, we have to fight!" Ling protested.

"Actually we don't have to." She smiled. As Maddie walked away, she gave Vor a little nudge and he tumbled off the log. The men looked at her in shock.

"What? I said I wasn't going to fight, never said anything about not playing dirty." She smirked and walked into her tent.

On the next day they got word that they were needed on the front line, so they all packed up their things and began marching.

* * *

Maddie felt exhausted after 4 days of solid marching. And some of the other men were being quite vocal about their opinion

"We have been marching for ages, when are we gonna get there, I feel like we are a herd of cattle." Maddie glared.

"Well maybe we would get there a lot faster if you shut your mouth." She spat out, feeling the strain.

"Hey, think of instead, a girl worth fighting for." The men gaze upward dreamily.

"What?" Maddie asked.

Ling grabbed Maddie and pulled her close while pulling out a centrefold. "That's what I said, a girl worth fighting for." Maddie walked away shaking her head.

"I want her paler than the moon with eyes that shine like stars." Ling said dreamily.

"My girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars" Vor said looking ahead as they all marched.

"I couldn't care less what she'll wear or what she looks like. It all depends on what she cooks like: Beef, pork, chicken..." All four moaned their appreciation at a fully cooked meal.

"Bet the local girls thought you were quite the charmer" Maddie shrugged at Vors comment.

Ling waded out of the water, the water puffed up his armour making him look like he had more muscles than he actually did

"And I'll bet the ladies love a man in armour." The water leaked out making Ling look like his normal self.

As they were walking through the rice fields women working looked up at them, a few looked at Maddie and giggled, causing her to blush and turn her head.

"How about a girl with a brain? Vor looked unimpressed. "Who always speaks her mind?" Maddie shrugged her shoulders.

"Bahh, my girl will think I have no faults." Vor strutted around flexing his muscles.

"My words will charm and excite her." Vor and Maddie scoffed grinning.

"Well someone thinks he's a lady-killer." Maddie teased smirking.

"That's all I want, a girl worth fighting for." Ling said, the men over heard and began chanting it as they reached the pass where they were meeting the rest of the army. It got very annoying over the course of the few days left in the march.

* * *

When they arrived at the pass, however, all they say was smoke and skeletons of a campsite and flames flickering in the light of the night.

"Go see if you can find any survivors." Fandral commanded heeling his horse and cantering away into the site. Maddie walked through the burnt wood and ash, moving what she could, but found nothing. Looking around all that she saw was destroyed. Then she felt her foot hit something, it was a doll pinned down by a small dagger through its foot. The doll reminded her of the little girls who used to play around the centre of her village, and the doll looked like one of the girls toys.

Fandral walked over followed by another man. The other man pulled off his helmet and Maddie saw that it was the Prince Thor. She bowed out of respect.

"I do not understand, the army should have met us here." Fandral said looking down.

"Do not fret my friend, they could still be elsewhere." Thor clapped down a large hand on Fandrals shoulder. Maddox walked up to him holding a helmet in his large hands.

"Sir." He called out calmly, Fandral turned to look at him. And saw as he walked up a bank bodies, bodies of the destroyed army.

"The General." He held out the helmet and Fandrals face dropped. It was a well-known fact that Fandral was close to the general.

"I am sorry my friend, but we cannot stay here, the elves may return." Thor said calmly.

"He is right, Milord, if we keep moving we have a chance at cutting them off and holding them off indefinitely." Thor looked at Maddie.

"What is your name soldier?" Thor asked her.

"Bran Rue, Sire." Maddie replied.

"Hmm, well Bran Rue, you are right, we need to move and swiftly. As we are the only hope for my father." Thor walked away, his red cape flickering in the breeze.

The men marched forlornly in the fields when one of the younger recruits accidentally set fire to a cart. The light illuminated everything in the lightening morning.


	7. Chapter 6

"What was that?" Fandral reared his horse over to the younger recruit and dismounted quickly.

"Are you mad? You just gave away our location, if any enemies…" Fandral was cut off by an arrow hitting him in the shoulder.

"Move, quickly, save the cannons!" Thor commanded as arrows seemed to rain down on the troops. Penn seemed to sense the danger and pulled Maddie away.

"We need to get out of range." The tactical side of Maddies brain kicked into gear, as she tried to herd the troops away from the arrows range. Flaming arrows then began to rain down on them.

* * *

Some of the arrows hit the cart Penn was pulling causing him to buck and whinny as he felt the heat from the arrows, Maddie pulled out her sword and cut him free. Just before residue from the powder in the cannons caught fire and exploded. The force of the explosion caused Maddie and Penn to be thrown forward and Maddie to fall from Penn.

Maddie quickly pulled herself to her feet and grabbed the sword that she dropped and ran to join the rest of her comrades.

"Fire." Thor commanded the archers. Maddie quickly joined them and they let loose a volley of arrows, most of them hit their targets, causing elves to fall from their vantage points.

"Hold the last cannon." Thor said as Vor poised to light his cannon, pauses. Algrim and his troops appear at the top of the mountain.

"Prepare to fight. If we die, we die with honour." Thor yelled brandishing his hammer.

Algrim raised his sword high above his head and charged down the mountain at Thor's position. His falcon flew off his shoulder and the Elf army followed their leader.

"Vor, aim the cannon at Algrim." Fandral commanded.

* * *

The line of Thor's troops with Maddie at the end all drew their swords. Maddie looked down at her sword and saw the reflection of a large cliff face with what looked to be loose rocks on its side. She rushed forward.

"Hey!" Vor got pushed aside by Maddie as she grabbed the cannon from his hands

"Bran, come back. Bran!" Thor yelled after her, but she carried on running.

Maddie charged forward towards the oncoming horde of the Elven army being led by Algrim and his falcon. Maddie looks over at the oncoming horde with worry in her heart.

"Stop!" Thor started to run after her. Maddie planted the cannon in the dirt and aims it for the cliff with the rocky overhang. She then took out the flint that she had in her pocket and tried to light the fuse. Algrim's falcon swooped by and knocked Maddie down scattering the flint in the grass.

"C'mon, we've gotta help." Vor, Ling and Maddox charged towards Maddies' position in the grass as she searched for the flint in the grass. She quickly found it and hit them together causing it to light the fuse and the cannon fires off just above the charging Algrim

"How could you miss? He was three feet in front of you!" Vor sound crouching next to her. The cannon sailed through the air and lodged itself in the rock and exploded causing the beginning of a large avalanche of rocks. Maddie looked up grinning and Algrim watched in horror as many of his troops got crushed by the falling rocks.

Algrim swiped at Maddie and his sword hit her in her right side underneath her breast. Maddie fell back into the dirt grabbing her right side, but barely noticed if there was any pain. Algrim's horse stumbled underneath him.

Maddie used this opportunity to bolt away from the falling rocks as Algrim gained his composure and balance and started to try to gallop away from the falling rocks on his horse. Thor looked up with shock at her disobedience and her actions, as he sees the rocks coming toward him. Maddie grabbed Thor as she passes by him, turning him around and helping him run away from the falling rocks.

"It's just a thought, but you might want to move!" Maddie shouted as she tried to pull the prince away from the rocks. The rest of the army ran away from them noticing the rocks following the prince and Maddie.

* * *

Penn got loose from the man holding him and raced towards Maddie just as the rocks swallow up Algrim and his horse. Maddie swung herself up onto her horse. She reached out to grab Thor and as he grabbed her the force of the rocks pushed him away and they were both swallowed by the force. The rest of the soldiers hid up large trees as the rocks thundered beneath them.

Maddie and Penn managed to pull themselves out of the smaller rocks to see Prince Thor being pulled along, a boulder hit his head rendering him unconscious, Maddie put the reins in her mouth as she used every last ounce of strength to lift Thor onto Penn.

An arrow sailed passed them as they were nearing the edge of the piece of land they were on, below was a 200ft drop to sharp rocks that would more than likely kill them both.

* * *

Maddie grabbed the arrow, as Penn had stopped at the edge abruptly and vaulted Maddie and Thor off of him, the head of it cutting her palm, tied the rope attached to it around her and Thor, and pulled the bow from her back as she notched it and just before they fell she shot it up, in the hopes that the men above her would catch it.

After what felt like ages of them falling, they stopped and moved upwards, as they came over the edge of the cliff she saw Fandral and the rest of the troops pulling Thor and her up over the edge. As they lay on the rock covered ground she untied them both and lay flat on her side trying to catch her breath.

"You are insane" Vor shouted at her, she grinned panting as she regained her breath.

"Bran, you are the craziest man I've ever met. And for that I owe you my life. From now on, you have my trust, my friend." Thor said pulling himself up, with a large bruise on his face.

"Thanks, I didn't really want to die today." Maddie smiled at him.

As she tried to stand up, the pain from being slash at hit, and she toppled to her knees in the dirt.

"Bran?" Thor asked as she landed on her knees. "What's wrong?" he asked. Maddie put her hand to her side and pulled it away to see blood coating her hand.

"Get a healer, he's wounded, Bran? Bran, hold on." She heard Thor say as she passed out.


	8. Chapter 7

The men waited for news on her condition, Thor and Fandral stood by the entrance. Vor, Ling and Maddox look quite concerned. Ling drummed his fingers on his knees. The healer came out from the tent and whispered to Thor. Thor looked up at the healer astonished and goes into the tent. Fandral stood over by the men, having not heard what the healer said.

Maddie woke up as Thor walked into the tent, not knowing her secret was revealed she sat up and nodded her head. Thors face remained hard as he looked at her. She looked down and felt herself go pale.

"I can explain." She said as Fandral walked into the tent with one of the trainers. Thor grabbed Fandral and walked out.

"It's true." The trainer said as he glared at her. Maddie quickly put on her shirt and boots and tried to rush after them. But the trainer grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her roughly out of the tent.

"I knew there was something off about you!" The trainer shouted. Both Thor and Fandral had their backs to her.

The trainer pulled the tie and pins from her hair. "See! A woman!" he shouted throwing her down in the dirt.

"Please I can explain everything." She tried to reason, knowing the penalty for her lie was death. She looked up and tried to catch somebodies eye, but nobody would look at her.

"Lying scum. Highest Treason!" The trainer shouted.

"My name is Madeline Rue, Bran is my brother." Fandral turned to look at her.

"Why lie to us?" He asked her. Maddie hang her head.

"It was the only way." She said feeling small.

"So the only way, was to lie to your commanding officers and to deceive the crown prince?" Thor asked, staring down at her with a blank look on his face.

"I only did it to save my brother, Milord, he was injured 6 months ago, and he wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes out here, my mother…" The trainer cut her off.

"Lies, Ultimate Dishonour." He shouted.

"Be quiet." Thor hissed. Penn reared and bucked in a soldiers grasp.

"Restrain him." Fandral commanded.

"The penalty for your crime is death, woman." Maddie closed her eyes as Thor picked up her sword and swung it over his head. But instead of killing her, he dropped it down in front of her.

"One saved life for another; my debt to you is paid. Leave now and I won't kill you." He walked away leaving Maddie in the dirt.

"Move out men." Thor commanded as he walked away. Vor Maddox and Ling turned to face her.

"I said move out." Thor turned to the trio with a stony look. Maddie let out a breath as he walked away, fear still gripping her tightly.

The troops walked off toward the Imperial City leaving Maddie behind with Penn. She lit a small fire to keep warm in the coming nights chill.

* * *

"I should never have left home." She said to herself.

"Maybe I didn't go for my father. Maybe what I really wanted was to prove I could do things right. So when I looked in the mirror, I'd see someone worthwhile. But I was wrong. I see nothing." Maddie said picking up her helmet and looking at her reflection in her helmet, but then threw the helmet down and a tear runs down her cheek.

Maddie then hear a yell on the wind, only half a mile away from her, she quickly put out the fire and scaled a tree just in to see Algrim and a few of his men wake up from the assault of the rocks.

"Let's go, move it out, now!" Algrim commanded as they moved towards the city. When Maddie was sure that they were safely away from her she dropped down out of the tree.

"I've got to warn them, I've got to do something." A voice in her head was telling her to go home, but she shook it off knowing that, that was the easy choice and sometimes the best thing to do was never easy.

* * *

"Make way for the heroes of Asgard." A man cried out.

Thor leads the men on horseback; all of the men have sorrowful looks on their faces. Maddie rode up through the crowd and stopped. She looked around and saw Thor in the parade, leading the men.

"Thor!" Maddie called out and moving Penn to ride next to him.

"Madeline?" Thor said sounding surprised.

"The Huns are alive, they're in the city." Maddie called over to him.

"You don't belong here Madeline, go home." He dismissed her coldly.

Maddie with a scowl urged Penn over to the other side of Thor. "Thor, I saw them in the clearing. You have to believe me. They are on their way here, now!"

"Why should I?" Thor said coldly

"Why else would I come back? You said you'd trust Bran. Why is Maddie any different?" Maddie reasoned as she rode ahead to block Thor's horse from moving. But Thor turned his horse and rode around Maddie and kept going forward.

"Keep your eyes open. I know they're here." Maddie said to Vor, who relayed it to the others.

"Now to find someone who will believe me?" Maddie questioned herself.

"Sir, the Allfather's in danger!" The man she was trying to convince ripped his shoulder away from Maddies touch and moves away. Maddie only got more agitated.

"But the Elves are here!" Maddie tried to tell another person, but he turned his back to her.

"Please, you have to help me." The people around her just walk away from her.

"No one is listening to me!" Maddie grumbled to herself.

* * *

"Father, we present to you the sword of Algrim the leader of the Dark Elves." Thor held up the sword in front of his father and mother.

"Well done my son, Fandral I am sure that the general would have been very proud of you and your recruits." Fandral nodded and took his position with the other Warriors Three.

"My people, Valhalla smiles down on us, on this victorious day." Odin spoke his voice magnified so it echoed throughout the golden city.

Algrim's falcon swooped down and took the sword just as Thor was giving it to the Allfather. The falcon rose above the roof and dropped the sword to Algrim, who was sat next to the gargoyles in the shadows, effectively blending in.

He rose out of the shadows and caught the sword making it so that all the people in the crowd could see his face. The crowd of people gasped in horror at the sight of Algrim.

Fandral began to draw his sword. All 5 survivors of Algrim's army jumped out from inside the dragon knocking down Thor and Fandral and grabbing the Allfather knocking over many guards along the way.

Two of Algrim's Soldiers carried the Allfather into the Palace. The two largest kill guards and lock the door to the stairs, which they quickly ascended. An elven archer knocks his arrow retreating into the Palace threatening any would be rescue attempts.


	9. Chapter 8

The men all pulled a large statue to the ground and tried to beat down the doors. Maddie rushed over.

"They will never make it in time." She said to herself. She then whistled the way her brother taught her to causing the men to turn and look at her.

"I've got an idea!" Vor, Ling and Maddox followed her, with Thor following reluctantly. The Warriors Three, a handful of guards and Loki stayed to try and beat down the door.

She then pulled down a drape hanging near some columns on the outer wall and ripped it into pieces with the help of her sword.

"I'll replace that." She said referring to the drape. The trio of soldiers each grabbed a piece and looked at her.

"What are we supposed to do with this?" Ling asked her. Maddie grinned.

"Remember when Fandral shot the arrow on the vertical beam?" She asked and they nodded.

"Well I figured out that you were meant to use the weights to pull yourself up, instead of weigh you down." She explained. They all looked at her.

"You know you are the first person to figure that out in years?" Thors voice behind her rang out.

"Really?" she turned and looked at him. He nodded and pulled off his cape.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Thor asked, Maddie grinned and wrapped the materiel around the beam and scaled it like she had done in training, when she reached the top, she pulled herself over and pulled the rest of them over.

"So any questions?" she asked them. Vor opened his mouth, but a look from Maddie silenced him

"Anything else? No? Good." Maddie pulled her bow and arrows from her quiver.

"We can't fight around corners." Thor pulled her elbow.

"You may not be able to, but I can." Maddie quickly volleyed off an arrow, which met its target swiftly. Maddie grinned.

"I stand corrected." Thor looked at her in surprise.

* * *

The trio of soldiers wandered out from behind the corner in servants clothing holding baskets of fruit, just as more soldiers came round the corner. The soldiers pulled out weapons just as they saw the trio and ran towards them

Maddox takes his watermelons and smashes them on the heads of the bigger Elven men. He then smashes their two heads together and they fall to the ground.

Ling pushes the apple into another elves mouth and kicked him in the stomach causing another elf to fall over on the ground. Ling uses his head to crack his back.

The biggest elf lunges his fist at Vor and misses, and he misses with the other fist. Vor grabbed the outstretched arm and flipped him over onto his head.

Maddie kicked away the archers' bow and knocked arrow, narrowly avoiding his strike by turning her back to the elven archer. She followed up with elbow the man in the stomach followed by a left upper cut knocking Elven Archer to the ground. She sits on his back and uses the bow to pull his head back.

"Go Thor now!" she shouted before knocking the man she was sat on out. Thor ran past her and pushed open the doors behind them and ran up the stairs.

* * *

Thor runs up in time to block the striking blow of Algrim against his father with his hammer. Thor lashes at the elf with his hammer but Algrim grabs Thor's arm and throws him towards the edge, where Thor grabs onto a column and he flies over the edge and uses the momentum to swing back and kick Algrim. Algrim falls to the ground, and Thor landed on top of him. Thor punched Algrim. Thor forces Algrim onto his back and grabs his arm pulling it behind Algrim's back. Maddie, Maddox, Vor and Ling enter the balcony from the stairs just as Algrim is pinned to the ground by Thor.

"Maddox, get the Allfather."

"Sorry, your Majesty." Maddox bowed slightly before lifting up the Allfather and running over to Maddie who is by a rope attached to a column in the balcony. Maddox uses the materiel from the drape as a pulley and rode down the rope to the ground.

"No!" Algrim said as he watched the Allfather leave. Algrim used his free arm to elbow Thor in the face. Algrim then got up and head-butted Thor and threw him to the ground. Thor lay there stunned by the force of the blow.

Maddie watched Thor fall then she looked over the edge at Ling and Vor now on the ground. Maddox ran out of sight with the Allfather to keep him safe.

"Come on!" Vor called from the ground, motioning for her to follow.

Maddie looked over at Thor with a worried look on her face. Algrim began to approach Maddie and the rope.

Maddie looked at the approaching Algrim and then down to spy his sword. Thinking quickly, Maddie grabbed Algrim's sword and cuts the taught rope preventing either of them from leaving. Algrim tried to grab for the falling rope unsuccessfully as Maddie left the sword embedded in the column and runs to Thor's position to help him get up. The crowd cheered as Algrim's yell of fury echoed.

"You will pay for that you insolent little whore." He grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her close. He pushed her away as he searched for Odin in the crowd. Maddie crawled over to Thor who was becoming more responsive. Maddie pulled out her dagger, but he kicked it away from her and slapped her causing her to fall over by the door.

"You!" Algrim grabbed Thor. "You stole my victory!" He shouted. Maddie threw her dagger at him, hitting him on the side of the head with the hilt.

"No, he didn't, that would be me." She said pulling her hair back to how she wore it in the army.

"The soldier who caused the rock slide." He dropped Thor from the balcony and made to chase after her. Maddie watched Thor fall as she ran back down the stair and bolted the door shut.

* * *

**Merry christmas everybody, R & R por favour**


	10. Chapter 9

The closed door didn't hold him for long.

As she leant against it, Algrim was throwing his full weight against the door and he finally broke a hand through, Maddie ran knowing he could easily kill her with that one hand

"So what's the plan?" Loki asked as he caught up with her.

"Uhmm." Maddie wondered.

"You don't have a plan?!" Loki said as they fought more elves.

"Hey, I'm making this up as I go." Maddie looked out of the window

"Loki…" Maddie trailed off looking at the fires.

"I'm way ahead of you, and already have something, just get him up onto the roof" He looked at her, his green cloak flying after him as he ran.

Algrim then broke through the doors and caught up to Maddie and was swinging his sword wildly knocking down a support column with every swipe. Maddie ran and ducked his every blow then she climbed up a column to get out of Algrim's reach.

* * *

Algrim sliced the base of the column causing it to fall and break through the outer wall. Maddie screams as the beam fell through the wall however it came to a stop but left her hanging with a large drop. Maddie got up on to the beam and jumped up to catch onto the awning above her head before the beam collapsed and sent her crashing down.

Swinging herself up she landed on the roof and tried to find the best vantage point, as she stepped back, she heard people talking about her, and saw them pointing at her.

As she backed up she heard a crash from behind and turned round to see Algrim behind her. She quickly searched for something to fight him off with, but only found her fan.

"Looks like you are out of ideas beautiful, surrender and I may just make you my queen." He sneered at her, Maddie wrinkled her nose.

"Not in a thousand lifetimes." He growled and lunged at her, but she leaned to the right, nearly losing her balance, the sword went straight through her fan. She closed the fan around the sword and elbowed Algrim making him loosen his grip, Maddie twisted the fan and causing the sword to fly towards her, she caught it by the handle.

"But as you see, a woman is never out of ideas or tricks." She grinned as she adopted a fighting stance.

"Ready Loki?" Maddie called out. He was stood behind the Dark Elf holding one of the small cannons in his hand, which he lit as he pushed the elf towards the explosives room. Maddie watched as he flew towards the explosives room

"Okay and now we need to get off the roof." Loki and Maddie ran as the exploding room behind them let off more explosives.

The force of the explosive pushed Loki and Maddie forward causing them to land in the open throne room. Loki landed hard on his back and Maddie landed on top of Thor who was rushing forward to check up on his father. She quickly rolled off him and let out a short laugh and she landed on the floor.

"Well that worked." She said grinning. Loki grinned at her.

"Oh I would think so too, little lady." Loki chuckled as they lay on the floor laughing at their victory. The sword flew past them and landed on the floor next to Maddies head.

* * *

"That was a deliberate attempt on my life. Where is she? Now she's done it. What a mess." The Allfather's Council pushed their way through the crowd. Thor and the Warriors Three pushed Madeline behind them to protect her.

"Stand aside, that creature's not worth protecting." The older man yelled pointing his finger at Maddie.

"She's a hero." Fandral said and the other Warriors nodded their agreement. Maddie grinned at him.

"Any woman who can resist me is worthy of honour." Maddie chuckled.

"That is a lot of honour to give out." She said grinning to show that she was joking.

"'Tis a woman. She will never be worth anything." The man said.

"Listen, you pompous…" Lady Sif grabbed the man about to hit him for insulting women.

"That is enough." The Allfather made his way through the smoke, and rapped his staff against the ground. The crowd silenced.

"Milord, we can explain." Fandral began. Odin cut him off by holding up a hand. He motioned for them to all move aside. Maddie moved forward and bowed to her knees in front of her ruler.

"I've heard a great deal about you, Madeline Rue. You stole your brother's armour, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonoured the Asgardian army, destroyed my palace, AND...You have saved us all." Maddie flinched at his tone. She looked at him.

"And for that we all owe you a great debt." The Allfather pulled her up gently and then bowed in front of her.

* * *

Maddie looked around in shock, as all the people gathered bowed down to her, both of the Princes, the Warriors Three, the Queen and the crowd that had gathered, including the Council members all fell to their knees in front of her.

"Council, see that this brave and honourable woman is added to your ranks." They all looked in shock. One of them stepped forward, the same one that nearly got a punch to the face.

"But there are no council positions open, your majesty." He said smugly.

"Very well, you can have his job." Odin pointed to the smug looking man who went pale in shock.

"With all due respect, I must decline; I fear that I have been away from my home and my family for far too long, your majesty." Odin nodded.

"Of course, then take this. So the world will know what you have done for me." He lifted a medallion with the royal crest on it from his neck and placed it around Maddies neck.

"And this." He passed her the sword of Algrim. "So the entire realm with know what you have done for us all." She wrapped it in the materiel from the drape that she had ripped down.

"But, there is one proposition I have for you." Maddie looked at the Allfather in confusion.

"I wish to arrange a marriage between you and my eldest son." Thor stepped forward at his father's notion.

"Do accept this arrangement?" Odin asked them. Maddie remembered what her mother had once told her.

"_If a man asks you to marry his son, be it arranged or unarranged, it is not a question, it is more of a demand."_

Maddie nodded. "Yes I do, Milord, it would be a great honour." She forced herself to say, she knew that because she had accepted she would have to leave her home and her family.

* * *

When she got home her brother is sitting beneath the blossom tree. A blossom fell from the tree and landed on his leg. Maddie appears at the threshold and moves toward her brother. Bran saw her approaching and started to stand

"Maddie." She knelt in front of her brother, making him sit back down.

"Brother, I brought you the sword of Algrim the dark elf." She handed the sword to Bran "And the crest of the Emperor, they're gifts to honour the Rue Family." Bran took the gifts from her outstretch hands and threw them down to the ground next to him. He bent down and held her close to him.

"The greatest gift and honour, is having you for a little sister" Bran wiped away Maddies tears. "I've missed you so much" he mumbled into her hair.

"I've missed you too." She started to cry again.

"What on earth have you done to your hair?" Maddie heard her mother say as she fell to her knees next to them. Maddie grinned.

"Ooh, she bought home a new sword." Bran said mocking his sister.

"Hey! I had to live with even smellier men than you and nearly get crushed in a rock slide, I think I've earned this sword." Maddie glared.

"Great, she brings home a sword. If you ask me she should have brought home a man." Her mother said joking as she stood up. "Oh." They all turned and Maddie saw Thor, Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three.

"What did you do now Maddie?" Her mother asked.

"Well that defeats the object of my question." Loki moved towards Maddie and when he was close enough swept her into a hug.

"So he is what Bran Rue really looks like?" Maddie cringed at Fandrals joking statement.

"So let me get this straight, you cut off your hair, went to war, nearly die in a rock slide, and come back betrothed?" Her mother asked while they were alone.

Maddie shrugged. "I guess so, I didn't really have choice mother." She said as she packed up her things.

"But do you have to go?" Her mother asked.

"Yes I do, and I will miss you so much." Maddie wrapped her arms around her mother.

"No, you won't." Lady Sif stood in the doorway. "Because the Allfather is having your mother, brother and his betrothed move with you." Maddie looked at her new friend in shock.

"As family of the War Hero Madeline Rue, you get a new home close to the capital…" Sif explained.

"But what about the farm?" Maddie asked, cutting off Sif.

"Each and everything on this farm will be moved to the new house, complete with larger grounds and lake on your land." Sif said explaining and putting Maddie at ease. Her mother didn't look too impressed at the thought of moving from our home, but she knew that because the Allfather commanded it, it would have to be done.


End file.
